Wegmans Food Markets Announce New Line of Gluten-Free Favorites

Here we go, gluten-free eaters. There’s another company trying to make a rift and a ruckus in the gluten-sensitive community, and it’s name brand is Wegmans Food Markets. Alright alright, all joking aside, I just want to state as a disclaimer that this post is simply an informative news report about a new “gluten-free” line of foods at Wegmans. Wegman’s has informed Triumph Dining that all gluten-free mixes and gluten-free pastas are being produced in dedicated gluten free facilities. They also mentioned that “gluten-free ingredients are investigated and verified, including processing aids and incidental additives and manufacturing environment, processing, scheduling, and also that good manufacturing practices are evaluated for the potential for cross contact/cross contamination with gluten.”

Since the Domino’s Pizza gluten-free crust didn’t go over very well with a lot of you, this may not please everyone either, but we feel compelled to bring you up to speed whether you love it or hate it.

Without further ado, Wegmans Food Market, a Northeastern grocery chain with about 80 stores, has just announced that in honor of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month they have introduced, what they’re calling, four new gluten-free favorites into their stores. One of these is their corn-based pastas, which supposedly have an appetizing texture and hardly tastes any different than regular pasta. As an added bonus, shoppers can download a dollar-off coupon for the pasta from the Wegmans’ website. All four family favorites are Wegmans’ own brand and include:

Gluten-free spaghetti, fusilli, penne and elbows, in one-pound boxes that sell for $2.49.

A vanilla cake mix and chocolate cake mix. Each mix makes one 8-inch round cake layer and sells for $3.49.

A gluten-free sugar cookie mix, which sells for $3.49 and makes 22 cookies.

A double chocolate brownie mix for $3.49 that makes one 8-inch square pan of brownies.

This information comes straight from Wegmans’ latest press release (read the whole thing by clicking the link), which was instated May 14th, 2012. Also, the following statements come from the same press release from Wegmans:

“’We see more gluten-free products every year and the quality keeps improving,’ says Charlie Gardner, category merchant for the Nature’s Marketplace area of Wegmans stores. ‘The gluten-free area has grown from a 12-foot section to several aisles in the Nature’s Marketplace department of the store. In fact, gluten-free foods are found all over our stores – there are about 1,700 different Wegmans brand items alone, from orange juice to ketchup, and they’re easy to spot because there’s a gluten-free wellness key on the package.’

Improvements? I know this addition to Wegmans doesn’t apply to a lot you, but for those of you whom it does, maybe this new line of gluten-free goodies can galvanize you in some way.

I can’t speak for Wegmans’ intentions, but it seems like they wanted to launch these family favorites as an effort to raise Celiac awareness and provide more options to the rising demand for gluten-free foods. One of their nutritionists, who is on a gluten-free diet, points out the benefit of more glutenless foods as it allows families to still bond over eating the same foods and not hinder the experience of such quotidian dialogue as, “Mom, could you pass the spaghetti?” or “Dad, could get me a brownie?”

What do you all think the pros and cons are about Wegmans’ new “gluten-free” products?

11 thoughts on “Wegmans Food Markets Announce New Line of Gluten-Free Favorites”

We understand how important it is for those who live gluten-free to ensure the food they consume is safe. Our new gluten-free pastas and baking mixes are labeled with our Gluten Free Wellness Key. Before assigning the Gluten-Free Wellness Key to Wegmans brand products we work with our suppliers to verify the each product meets the following criteria:

• The product’s ingredients do not contain gluten, a protein that is naturally found in wheat, rye, and barley, and may be present in some oats due to cross contact with gluten.
• Gluten-free ingredients are investigated and verified, including processing aids and incidental additives.
• Manufacturing environment, processing, scheduling, and good manufacturing practices are evaluated for the potential for cross contact/cross contamination with gluten.

If there is any doubt or the supplier cannot guarantee gluten-free status, the food in question will not be labeled as gluten free.

I live in a big Wegmans community in Ithaca, NY and really value the work Wegmans has done to make it easy for folks with gluten sensitivities. They’ve been labeling store brand products for years, and have a very impressive GF section in Nature’s Marketplace. I saw the pasta on teh shelf this weekend (didn’t pick any up yet) and said to my partner, “Hey! They did it. I was wondering when Wegmans was going to do their own GF line.”

I’m thrilled about their new line of products, especially the brownies as they are also soy free… now, if only they would offer a rice pasta as well as the corn. It’s been four years since I first started eating gluten free, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Wegmans and their little orange GF wellness key. It’s been a lifesaver.

This post should be completely rewritten and an apology issued to Wegmans. I came here from your FB post which clearly took the assumption that Wegmans was being foolish in the same manner as Dominos…. not so. This store has a fantastic selection of GF food and I go out of my way to visit one when I am in an area where they are located. This was a very poorly written column from an otherwise good site. I am glad Wegman’s responded.

Why is this article subtitled “Enticing or Misleading?” What is misleading about any information they’ve provided? The Wegmans I’ve been to have always been outstanding when it comes to serving the GF community.

I think it is great that Wegman’s is doing this, but one problem I have at their store is that there is never anything gluten free in the prepared food section of their store. Is it just me or am I missing something? Even the stuffed peppers have gluten in them. I think Wegman’s has a lot of work to do in that area. Making pasta to sell in boxes is just another company jumping into the mix in a market that now has ample selections in the non prepared food area. It would be nice to be able to run into Wegman’s and buy something of good quality that is already prepared on a busy day. From what I am seeing, that is not the case.

My daughter was diagnosed with Celiacs 4 years ago, and over the years Wegmans continues to make my life easier to buy products that my daughter can safely eat! As for the consumer that feels that the store should offer gluten free foods in the prepared food section, that is difficult to do, it doesn’t just require training, but it also requires safe places to prepare the food as well as put it out to serve. I do know that we are getting close to the time that there will be gluten free cakes and cookies as I’ve talked to someone who works for the company. I appreciate all that Wegmans does to make my life easier, and the quality of the products they bring us! Thanks again Wegmans!!

Wegmans has been the most incredible help for many,many years when we were first trying to find foods that were Gluten free. Their dietitians in Roshester, were so very patient with our many many questions,and we know we can trust the foods we buy at their stores!
Will try the new foods they have introduced,first one will be the corn bread.
Can’t thank you enough,for all your assistance and good foods.
Mary